Building structure



' Jan. 7, 1930. c. F. KUHNLA BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 11, 1928 fl/ZarkJZMuZw I INVENTOR BY MAW ATTORNEY I ,H'X/IM,

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 CHARLES F. KUHNLA, OF

BUILDING Application filed September This invention relates particularly to superstructures of buildings, such as skylight structures, and more particularly to the con struction of the longitudinal ridge piece forming the comb ofsuch superstructure.

Heretofore commonly this ridge piece has been a wooden beam forming a rldge pole.

These wooden ridge poles, particularly for bermust be used, they arenotsuthciently rigid,

skylight structures, have proved generally unsatisfactory. An expens1ve grade of lumthey shutout considerable light, they must be securely protected from the weather, present difliculties in securing the attachmentof rafters and of the necessary pulley blocks, etc.

An object of this invention is to provide a roofing beam and more particularly a ridge piece of improved construction which is particularly adapted for use inskylight structures and which will meet the particular requirements of such structures in a satisfac- 1 tor mailer. Other more particular objects and advantages of the invention willherein after appear. 1

A roofing beam or ridge piece according to i the present invention is formed entirely of metal and comprises various features of construction and combinations of parts, as will appear from the following description.

O'ne embodrment'of the lnvention 1s lllustrated in the accompanying drawings and this embodiment will now be particularly described, after which theinvention will be polnted out in cla ms, reference now belng had to the drawings, in which:

Fig. lis a transverse vertical section offa portion of a skylight roof structure in which the invention is embodied; and

1 Fig. 2 is a reduced non-central vertical lon gitudinal section of the same,

i The particular manner of practically cara 1' in out the invention shown in the accompanying drawings will now be described. A

horizontal ridge piece is shown as having a central steel core bar 1',wh1ch 1s fiat EtIld CllS- posed vertically on edge so as to provide ade quate strength with minimum lateral extension. Excepting at its lower edge, this core barxis covered and completely enclosed by a "timepiece sheet metal jacket This jacket JAMAICA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AUGUST KUI-INLA, INCL, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK STRUCTURE 11, 192's; Serial No. 305,237.

comprises a narrow curved top'Q, connecting together upper parallel wall portions 3 which telescope over and lie flat against-the upper portion of the core bar 1. Intermediate of the width of the core bar 1 the jacket on its opposite sides is bulgedoutwardly to form ing an upper wall 6 and a lower wall 7 which I lies against'the upper wall 6, thereby providing a naximum of free or open space below these drip ledges which may be utilized for a purpose which will presently appear. From the inner termination of the lower walls 7 of these drip ledges parallel vertical walls 8 respectively lie flat againstthe lower marginal portion of the core bar- 1 and extend downward to its lower edge. Lower horizontally aligned flanges 9 project outwardly from the lower termination of the respective walls 8 at right angles thereto and substantially flush WllilIthB lower edge of the core bar 1.

The lower edge of the core bar 1 is covered by' a sheet metal cover strip or finish strip 10 which liesv flat against and completely covers the lower sides of the right angular flanges 9. The marginal edges of this cover strip 10 are turned inward to form flanges 11 which lie flat against the upper surface of the right vangular jacket flanges 9. These flanges 11 of the strip 10 are shown asextending inwardly to the respective vertical wallsl8 so as to cover completelythe jacket flanges 9.

It will be noted that in'this ridge piece construction the outwardlybulged roof-supporting ledges comprise the ledge forming portions 4 and the brace legs 5; the folded drip ledges having the upper and lower walls 6 and '7; the right angular lower flanges 9; and the cov'er strip 10 with its inturned flanges 11; all contribute substantially to the lateral strength and rigidity or stiffness of the ridge piece as a whole and reinforce the enclosed core bar 1, to prevent its springing or bending of the ridge piece in a horizontal or lateral direction. At the same time these laterally projecting sheet metal parts perform other functions as will presently more clearly appear.-

A superstructure of the kind in which this invention is embodied is provided with ventilating sashes, doors, or other closures which may be opened or closed as desired. The devices commonly employed for operating these closures include cables running over various pulleys. Among the more important of these pulleys are some which are carried by the ridge piece of the superstructure, and in carrying out the present invention provision is therefore made for such pulleys.

While the two three-ply flanges produced by the jacket flanges 9 and the cover strip 10 together with its inturned flanges 11, have considerable stren th and rigidity, such flanges might not e sufliciently rigid and strong to support the usual pulley blocks, and

hence it is desirable to provide a reinforcement of these flanges for that purpose. Accordingly, in carrying out the invention, at each place along the ridge piece where a pulley block is attached thereto, a pair of oppositely arranged angle bars 12 are fitted into the corners up against the vertical walls 8 of the core jackets and overlie. the inturned flanges 11 of the lower strip 10. These angle bars 12 are of suitable length and are firmly secured to the core bar 1, through the jacket walls 8, by means of bolts 13.

The pulley block shown has an upper plate 14 which fits flat up against the bottom sur-- face of the lower cover strip 10 and which at its lateral margins is firmly secured, through the right angular flanges of the jacket, to the angle bears 12 by means of bolts 15,, adjacent to the ends of this plate, which is shown as coterminous with the angle bars 12.

The drawings show only the middle portion of the improved ridge piece which of course is of whatever length that may be required in any particular roof structure. Any number of pulley blocks may be arranged along the length of this ridge piece, commonly there being one at the middle and others adjacent the respective ends. These pulley blocks each ma carry substantially any desired number 0 pulleys arranged in any suitable way that may be required for the particular installation. For example, instead of the pulley block shown in the drawings which carries two pulleys and has an elongated upper plate 14, in some cases there is employed a pulley block having a circular upper plate with the pulleys arranged radially around its peripheral margin.

Ra ftcrs in any desired number are secured at their upper or inner ends to the ridge piece at the opposite sides thereof and the end portions of two oppositely arranged raftersare shown in the drawings. The rafters shown are of a construction somewhat similar to that of the above described ridge piece. Such a rafter is shown as having a core bar 16, the upper end of which may be firmly secured to the core bar 1 of the ridge piece in any suitable manner. This core bar 16 is covered and enclosed by a one-piece sheet metal jacket closed at the top and having side walls 17 fitting snugly telescopically over the core bar 16.

At the lower termination of the walls 17, there are provided hollow roof-supporting ledges comprising right-angular walls 18 and inwardly inclined converging brace portions '19, from which extend outwardly projecting aligned flanges 20 the edge portions 21 of which are turned upwardly to form a trough or gutter. t will be noted that the brace walls 19 meet below the core bar 16 and may there be soldered together for additional strength. The end of the rafter jacket may be secured to the side of the ridge piece jacket in any suitable manner, which may include soldering. In some cases of relatively small and light structures the rafter core bar 16 may be omitted, sufficient strength and rigidity being provided by the sheet metal jacket construction above described.

The rafter construction further includes a one-piece sheet metal cap strip having a rounded closed top and spaced parallel side walls 22 which fit snugly over the similar walls 17 of the core jacket and further comprises outwardly projecting slightly inclined flanges 23 which terminates in further inclined edge portions 24 which extend over the marginal side edges of the roofing.

The ridge piece having the core bar 1 includes in its construction a one-piece sheet metal cap or top strip which is substantially of inverted trough-shape, being closed at the top by a short rounded or curved portion 25 from which relatively narrow spaced parallel walls 26 extend downward and fit snugly over the walls 3 of the core jacket. From these walls 26 there project oppositely extending inclined wings 27 the outer margins of which are turned downwardly at substantially right angles to form flanges 28 which extend down to the roofing, so that this cap or ridge piece top strip forms a water shed for the upper marginal edge of the roofing.

The invention is shown in the drawings as carried out in a skylight structure and accordingly the roofing comprises glass plates 29 which are held in place at their upper or inner margins by the downturned flanges 28 of theridge piece and at their lateral margins by the flange margins 24 of the rafter cap. The roofing structure above described as embodying the present invention is suitable 1 surface of said cover strip and bolted to the to be employed either in a simple double pitch gabled roof or in a hipped roof, or in other forms of roof, according to the particular requirements.

It is obvious that various modifications may bemade in the construction shown in the within the principle and scope of the inven tion as definedin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a building structure, a ridge piece comprising a straightfiat metal core bar arranged vertically edgewise, a one-piece sheet metal jacket snugly telescoped over the upper edge of the core bar and completely covering both its sides, said jacket in its upper and lower portions lying flat against the upper and lower portions of both sides of the core bar and at opposite points intermediate of the width of the core bar such jacket being bulged outwardly at both sides to form a hollow inclined roof-supporting ledge, an out wardly inclined iolded drip ledge being formed on each of the sides of the jacket immediately below its said hollow roof-sup porting ledge, the lower edge portions of the two sides of the jacket being turned outwardly at right angles to form flanges in alignment with each other substantially flush with the lower edge of the core bar. a sheet metal lower cover strip lying flat against the lower sides of the said lower right angular flanges completely covering .j lO

said flanges and the lower edge of the core bar and at its edges flanged lnwardly over and substantially completely covering the upper sides of said right angular jacket flanges, and angle bars at opposite sides of the core bar overlying the inturned flanges of the lower cover strip and bolted to the core bar through its :jacket to'provide a support for a pulley block.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in combination witha pulley block having an upper plate fitting up against the bottom said angle bars through said right angular flanges of the acket and through the sald cover strip and its inturned flanges.

3. In a building structure, a ridge piece comprising a stralghtflat metal core bar arranged vertically edgewlse, a OHG'PIGCQ sheet metal jacket snugly telescoped over the upper edge of the core bar and completely covering both of its sides, said jacket in its upper and lower portions lying flat against the upper and lower portions of both sides of the core bar and at opposite points intermediate of i the width of the core bar such jacket being bulged outwardly at both sides to form a hollow roof-supporting ledge, the lower edge portions of the two sides of the jacket being turnedoutwardly at right angles to form flanges in alignment with each other substantially flush with the lower edge of the core bar, and a foldedoutwardly and downwardlyinclined drip ledge formed on each of the sides of said jacketbelow the said hollow ioofisuppoi'ting ledges.

4. Ina building structure, a ridge piece comprising a straight flat metal core bar arranged vertically edgewise, a one-piece sheet metal jacket snugly telescoped over the upper edge of the core bar and completely covering both of its sides, said jacket having flat aligned upperand lower portions lying flat against the upper and lower portions of both sides of the core bar and at opposite points between the said flat upper and lower portions and intermediate of the width of the core bar such jacket being bulged outwardly at both sides to form a hollow downwardly inclined roof-supporting ledge, an outwardly and downwardly inclined folded drip ledge formed on each of the sides of the said jacket immediately below its saidhollow roof-supporting ledge and at the top of its said flat lower portion, the said lower fiat portions of the two sides of the jacket extending from the said drip ledge down tothe lower edge of the core bar in contact therewith and becore bar, and a flat sheet metal lower cover 5 strlp lying flat against the lowers1des of the said lower flat right angular flanges completel v covering said flanges and the lower edge of the core bar and at its edges flanged inwardly over and substantially completely covering the flat upper sides of said right angular jacket flanges.

5. The inventiondefined in claim 4, in combinat-ion with a one-piece inverted troughshaped sheet metal'cap strip having spaced parallel side walls fitting snugly telescopically part way over the said upper portion of the enclosing acket at the upper edge of the core bar and having oppositely extending downwardly inclined wings spaced above the roofing and the outer margins ofwhich are turned downwardly and inwardly at an angle to form flanges extending down to the roofing so that such cap strip forms a water shed for the upper marginal edges of the roofing which overlie said roof-supporting ledges.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my signature.

i 7 CHARLES F. KUHNLA. 

